EP1719686B1 - Separable central buffer coupling with centering device - Google Patents

Abstract

The coupling has a coupling-shaft vertically pivoted at a linkage housing of a railway vehicle. A coupling-head is provided at a free end of the coupling-shaft. A separable center position coupling (6) releases the connection between a control mechanism of a horizontal central resetting device and a center position guide when a critical impact force or traction force exceeds. A connecting plate moves backwards and pushes the linkage into a space provided in an undercarriage of the wagon body during crash. The connection between the coupling-shaft and the control mechanism is released during crash i.e. when impact force or traction force is transmitted over the shaft.

Description

The present invention relates to a central buffer coupling for rail vehicles, with a vertically pivotally mounted via a linkage on the car body of the rail vehicle and at its free end a coupling head bearing coupling shaft and a device for horizontal center reset, wherein the device for horizontal centering a running about a vertical pivot axis, horizontal pivoting movements of the clutch shaft mitmachende center position guide and an actuating device for positioning the Mittenstellungsführung together with the operatively connected coupling shaft in predetermined locations or in any position of a designated pivoting range.

Such coupling arrangements are known in principle from the prior art ( DE 103 55 640 B ) and are distinguished by the fact that a perfect pairing of two central buffer couplings can be made possible. Here, the center reset device is usually designed so that when deflections of the coupling shaft in the horizontal plane ensures a center reset and thus the coupling shaft during the coupling process can always be kept in the center position in the middle longitudinal plane. For the realization of such a center reset device, a large number of reset systems are known which allow, for example hydraulically or by spring force, the adjustment of the center position in the horizontal plane.

1 is a side view of a known from the prior art and for example in the document for explaining the principle of the center reset EP 1 321 344 A1 disclosed device for centering 3 shown in a partially sectioned view. This provided for a means of a coupling shaft 2 pivotally mounted on a rail vehicle central buffer coupling center reset device 3 has a pivotal movement of the coupling shaft 2 to mitmachende about its vertical pivot axis center position guide 4, which in turn is non-positively connected via a gear 13 with an actuator 5.

Specifically, in the clutch assembly of FIG. 1, the center position guide 4 is formed as a cam which is rotatably supported by means of a vertically mounted pivot pin 14 in the linkage 1 of the clutch assembly. The cam plate 4 is coupled rotationally synchronously with the coupling shaft 2, and the pivot pin 14 is arranged axially aligned with a bearing pin 15 of the coupling shaft 2. The pivot pin 14 itself is operatively connected to the bearing pin 15, while the cam 4 is fixedly connected to a arranged below the cam 4 gear 16, which in turn is connected via a gear 17 with an actuator serving as the center reset 5 and driven.

From rail vehicle technology is also known to arrange multi-stage energy dissipation facilities in the base of rail vehicles. These generally have a reversible energy dissipation device as a primary stage, which is integrated, for example in the form of a clutch spring in the coupling shaft, and which should absorb the impact forces occurring in driving, maneuvering and coupling operation. It is also possible, in the bearing block of the articulation, via which the coupling shaft is attached to the undercarriage of the car body to provide a pull / push device. This provided in the articulation train / shock device absorbs tensile and compressive forces up to a defined size and passes beyond beyond forces undamped on the bearing block in the vehicle undercarriage on.

Although the tensile and impact forces which occur during normal driving between the individual car bodies are absorbed, when the operating load is exceeded, for instance when the vehicle strikes an obstacle, it is possible for the envisaged energy intake to be absorbed the coupling is not sufficient. The surplus impact energy is then transferred directly to the vehicle undercarriage. This is exposed to extreme loads, so that the car body is at risk of being damaged or derailed.

One approach to avoiding such a situation is to provide, in addition to the pull / push device, another (secondary) energy dissipation device, for example in the form of two side buffers on the outer edge of the end face of the respective car body To absorb excessive impact pulses resulting impact energy. It is also possible, after exhaustion of the primary energy dissipation device via a predetermined breaking point in the Kupplungsanlenkung the residual energy on carcass side energy absorption elements, such as friction elements to redirect. This so-called overload protection serves as an additional shock protection for the protection of the vehicle undercarriage against damage in the case of strong impact impacts. To reduce the impact energy, the coupling together with the linkage and the centering device are first pushed away from the coupling plane to the rear and thus removed from the power flow transmitted between two adjacent vehicle bodies. For example, it is conceivable that after exceeding a critical impact force, the articulation of the coupling assembly shears at predetermined breaking points and larger parts of the coupling are pushed by a provided on the front side of the car body cross member in a space in the undercarriage.

However, such overload protection sets in clutch assemblies which are attached via a linkage with centering device on the car body, that the connection plate (cross member) to which the linkage of the coupling assembly to the car body or the base of the car body is positively connected, and by which in a crash, ie when extreme impact energies occur, the linkage with the centering device and the coupling shaft is pushed through after the shearing elements respond, must be designed accordingly. The term "shearing elements" herein are to be understood as connecting elements that connect the articulation and thus the coupling arrangement with the connecting plate or with the car body in "normal" driving, and lose their function as a connecting element after exceeding a definable critical shock / tensile force so that the linkage can be pushed together with the centering device and possibly the coupling shaft through the connecting plate of the car body in a space provided in the undercarriage of the car body space.

The disadvantage of this known from the prior art solution is that the provided on the front side of the car body and serving as a connector cross member must be made relatively wide and high, as in the event of a crash and after response of Abscherelemente not only the linkage but also the entire center adjustment device moved back and must be pressed by the cross member, and thus a relatively large acting on the cross member contact surface is given. In order to design the cross member or the corresponding connecting parts for such a coupling arrangement, it is therefore necessary to design the cross member accordingly, which leads to an increase in weight of the connecting parts and in particular of the entire coupling arrangement.

Based on this problem, the present invention seeks to provide an attached via a linkage on the front side of a car body and a centering device having a coupling arrangement, which is taken at a transmitted over the coupling shaft critical impact force from the power flow, wherein the connecting parts, the serve to connect the articulation with the front of the car body, lighter and smaller dimensions can be performed.

This object is achieved with a central buffer coupling of the type mentioned in the present invention that the Mittenstellungsführung by means of a Mittenstellungskupplung for transmitting a restoring torque of the actuator is connected to the Mittenstellungsführung non-positively, wherein the frictional connection acts on exceeding a acting in the longitudinal direction of the coupling shaft and transmitted through this fixable critical shock / traction is solved.

The solution according to the invention has a number of significant advantages over the known from rail vehicle technology and explained above central buffer couplings. The center position clutch is used in the "normal" driving mode for transmitting the restoring torque of the actuating device to the center position guide and for non-positive connection of the actuating device with the center position guide. In the event of a crash, ie when a force acting in the longitudinal direction of the coupling shaft and transmitted over this critical shock / tensile force, however, this non-positive connection is solved independently. Accordingly, this is a separable Mittenstellungskupplung in which the torque transfer and the frictional connection between the actuator of the centering device and the remaining components of the clutch assembly is interrupted in a previously precisely definable event. The solution according to the invention is based on the fact that the actuating device of the center adjusting device, which may have, for example, a pneumatically operated lifting cylinder and / or an electrically operated actuating means, on the car body below, above or laterally proper articulation of the central buffer coupling is arranged, and that the restoring torque of the actuator via a transmission mechanism, such as a transmission and / or a Mittenstellungsführung, is transmitted to the coupling shaft. The coupling shaft, which is rotatably articulated by means of the articulation on the front side of the corresponding car body, can thus be positioned with the aid of the actuating device and the center position guide in predetermined locations or in each point of a designated pivoting range.

With the solution according to the invention, in which the actuating device of the centering device is connected via the separable Mittenstellungskupplung with the provided in the articulation center position guide, can be achieved in particular that the articulation is constructed with the entire central adjusting device as a single module, and thus as such with the aid of According to provided connecting parts (eg, a cross member) can be attached to a front with respect to the car body connection plate of the car body or on the undercarriage of the car body. This facilitates the assembly and disassembly of the clutch assembly. This attachment of the linkage to the terminal plate is carried out in a preferred manner by means of Abscherelementen that lose their function as connecting elements when a definable critical impact force is exceeded, thus allowing a backward movement of the linkage through the terminal plate. By taking the linkage and the coupling shaft articulated thereon out of the power flow transmitted via the coupling shaft, secondary energy dissipation devices provided on the vehicle body can be used, for example, to absorb the excess impact energy.

Since according to the invention, the actuating device of the centering device is connected by means of a separable Mittenstellungskupplung with the provided in the articulation of the coupling arrangement Mittenstellungsführung, and because when exceeding the definable critical shock / tensile force not only the shear elements provided in the overload protection, but also the Mittenstellungskupplung address and their Lose function as a link leads, when the critical shock / traction force is exceeded, only the articulation with the therein provided and positively connected to the coupling shaft center position guide a backward movement, while the actuator of the centering device remains unchanged in front of the connection plate of the car body. As a result, the connecting parts, such as the cross member on the end face of the car body to which the articulation of the coupling assembly is attached, correspondingly lighter and smaller dimensions be designed because in a crash, only the linkage without actuator in their backward movement pierces the terminal plate and is pushed into an example provided in the undercarriage of the car body room. In particular, for example, serving as a connecting part cross member may be performed correspondingly flatter, resulting in particular in a weight reduction of the entire clutch assembly.

Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

For example, it is provided in a particularly advantageous manner that the Mittenstellungskupplung each having a on the center position guide and arranged on the actuator outer transmission member and at least one further arranged between the transmission members central transmission member, wherein the outer transmission members in each case with the central transmission member in engagement stand in order to transmit a restoring moment of the actuator to the center position guide can. The advantage of such a run, separable Mittenstellungskupplung is particularly to be seen in that a reliable torque transmission can be ensured by the actuating device of the centering device on the center position guide by the interconnected transmission elements in a particularly simple and easy to implement manner. Further, by having the transmission members engaged with each other, the separable center position clutch has the function of a balancing clutch; it is thus designed to compensate, for example, for an offset occurring between the actuating device of the center adjusting device and the center position itself. Of course, here are also other embodiments with, for example, a plurality of central transmission members, which are positively connected by engagement with each other, conceivable.

In a particularly advantageous realization of the latter embodiment, in which therefore the separable Mittenstellungskupplung is carried out with one on the Mittenstellungsführung and arranged on the actuator outer transmission member and at least one arranged between the outer transmission members central transmission member, it is provided that the Mittenstellungungskupplung is designed such that when exceeding the definable critical shock / tensile force of the engagement between at least one of the at least two outer transmission links with the central transmission member and thus solved the frictional connection between the center position guide and the actuator is interrupted. As a result, then, the linkage, in a backward movement, ie away from the coupling plane, pushed by the cross member provided as a connecting plate and thus be removed from the power flow.

Thus, when a critical shock / tensile force exceeds the engagement of the provided at the separable Mittenstellungungskupplung according to the two aforementioned embodiments transmission elements reliably dissolved and consequently the non-positive connection between the Mittenstellungsführung and the actuator can be in an advantageous realization of the Mittenstellungskupplung a longitudinal the vertical pivot axis of the center position guide extending and passing through the respective transmission members bolt is provided which is fixedly connected at one end to the center position guide and at its other end to the actuator. The bolt is designed so that it shears when exceeding the definable critical shock / tensile force and thus allows the release of the respective interventions of the transmission links. It would be conceivable here that the bolt has correspondingly designed predetermined breaking points. It is also conceivable that the bolt is connected via Abscherelemente with the center position guide and / or the actuator, said shear elements lose their connection function after exceeding the definable critical force. Since the bolt passes through the respective transmission links and is fixedly connected on the one hand to the center position guide and on the other hand to the actuating device, the transmission links are held in position on the one hand and pivotal movement of the transmission links about the vertical pivot axis is permitted for the transmission of the restoring torque to ensure the Mittenstellungführung and thus on the coupling shaft. Of course, instead of a bolt that loses its function as a connecting element after exceeding a definable critical shock / tensile force, other devices suitable that have similar functions.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the central buffer coupling according to the invention, which has the separable Mittenstellungskupplung, in which a plurality of mutually cooperating transmission members are used, it is provided that each arranged on the center position guide and on the actuator outer transmission member has at least one central web, and that at least a central transmission element has at least two grooves corresponding to these central webs, these grooves provided in the middle transmission element are each formed so that they each receive a corresponding central web of the outer transmission members, so as to allow the transmission of the restoring torque of the actuator to the center position guide.

As an alternative to the latter embodiment of the separable Mittenstellungskupplung is further conceivable that the central transmission member has at least two central webs, and wherein the middle position guide and on the actuating device respectively arranged outer transmission members each have at least one corresponding to at least one of the central webs groove, said at least one provided in the respective outer transmission members groove is in each case formed so that it receives at least a corresponding central web of the central transmission member, so as to allow the transmission of the restoring torque of the actuator to the center position guide. Both alternative embodiments are particularly easy to implement, yet effective solutions to provide a separable mid-position clutch. Of course, it is also conceivable that the corresponding transmission members also have a plurality of grooves or webs. Also, the webs must not be designed as a central webs.

As a possible realization of the transmission members, which have the aforementioned features, it is conceivable to use as middle transmission member a cross-disk, which has at its opposite side surfaces in each case a mutually 90 ° groove. The outer transfer members respectively disposed on the center position guide and on the actuator may also be formed as disks and each have a corresponding land, e.g. Mittensteg, which are offset by 90 ° to each other, so as to fit into the grooves provided in the disc cross. Of course, other embodiments of the transmission elements are also conceivable here.

In order to achieve that the middle transmission member is more or controlled by the outer transmission members when exceeding the critical shock / tensile force is provided in a particularly preferred embodiment that at least one of the respective middle webs of the corresponding outer transmission members about a transverse axis of the respective center web rotatable is stored, and that at least one of the respective middle webs is fixed.

In order to ensure that the separation process of Mittenstellungungskupplung executes a precisely predictable event sequence, in a particularly preferred embodiment of the coupling assembly according to the invention, the Mittenstellung coupling further guide means which are designed so as to the provided in the respective transfer members grooves in the respective corresponding webs the corresponding transfer members in the respective longitudinal direction of the grooves, and at the same time to substantially suppress relative movement between the respective grooves and the corresponding land in directions different from the longitudinal direction of the respective groove. With the aid of this guide means, it is thus possible that the separation process of the engagement of the central transmission member with the outer transmission members takes place in a predetermined and guided movement. By preventing relative movement between the respective groove and the corresponding land in directions different from the longitudinal direction of the respective groove by the guide means, the outer transfer members can not move in the direction different from the longitudinal direction of the respective groove relative to the middle transfer member move, so that in an advantageous manner in the "normal" driving operation on the one hand ensures a secure hold of the transmission links to each other and on the other hand, an early response of the separable Mittenstellungskupplung can be prevented.

For example, it is conceivable that the guide means have a tongue and groove connection, which is provided in the groove and on the webs of the respective transmission members. It is also conceivable to choose the profile of the groove provided in at least one of the transmission members and the profile of the corresponding webs in order to ensure a guide in the respective longitudinal direction of the grooves, and at the same time a relative movement in a direction different from the longitudinal direction essentially suppress. As an example of such a profile would be a dovetail-shaped profile, wherein the broad side of the dovetailed profile is present at the bottom of the groove or at the respective end face of the web. Of course, here are also other profile shapes conceivable.

It is also conceivable to equip the guide means so that they assume the function of a shearing element in addition to the function as a guide for the transmission elements relative to one another. This could for example be realized by the leadership function is released only after exceeding a definable critical response. If the guide means have a tongue and groove connection, it is conceivable, for example, to carry out this tongue and groove connection "perforated", ie the groove of the Tongue and groove connection to interrupt at least one point by a Abschersteg and execute this web as Abscherelement that releases the provided for guiding the groove of the tongue and groove joint after response. Of course, other designs are conceivable here, too.

Fig. 1:

eine Seitenansicht einer aus dem Stand der Technik bekannten Mittenrückstellvorrichtung in teilgeschnittener Darstellung zur Erläuterung des Aufbaus der Anlenkung mit einer hierin vorgesehenen Mittenstellvorrichtung;

Fig. 2:

eine Explosionsdarstellung einer bevorzugten Ausführungsform einer zur Verwendung in der erfindungsgemäßen Mittelpufferkupplung ausgelegten, trennbaren Mittenstellungskupplung; und

Fig. 3A-F

einen Bewegungsablauf des Trennvorganges der in der Fig. 2 gezeigten trennbaren Mittenstellungskupplung.

In the following a preferred embodiment of a designed for use in the central buffer coupling according to the invention, separable Mittenstellungskupplung will be described with reference to the drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1:

a side view of a known from the prior art center reset device in a partially sectional view to explain the structure of the linkage with a centering device provided therein;

Fig. 2:

an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of a designed for use in the central buffer coupling according to the invention, the separable Mittenstellungskupplung; and

Fig. 3A-F

a sequence of movements of the separation process of the separable Mittenstellungskupplung shown in FIG.

Fig. 1 shows a side view of a known from the prior art center reset device in a partially sectional view to explain the structure of the linkage 1 with a centering device provided therein 3. This center reset device 3 is pivotally connected to a coupling shaft 2 on a (not explicitly shown) car body a middle buffer coupling fastened to a rail vehicle and has a central position guide 4 which makes use of an actuating device 5 belonging to the centering device 3 together with the coupling shaft 2 operatively connected to the center position guide 4 at each point of a provided pivoting range can be positioned. As shown, the coupling shaft 2 is articulated with a vertically oriented bearing pin 15 in a Anlenkgehäuse the linkage 1 and connected via this with the (not shown) subframe of the rail vehicle. This connection is made via corresponding connection plates or cross members (generally connecting parts). In order to pivot the coupling shaft by means of the actuating device of the central adjusting device 5, in the middle buffer coupling shown, the center position guide 4 as a cam formed, which is rotatably supported by means of a vertically arranged pivot pin 14 in the articulation 1 and in the Anlenkgehäuse. The pivot pin 14 is connected to a bearing pin 15 and the center position guide 4 with a gear 16 arranged below this, which in turn is connected via a gear 17 with the actuating device of the centering device 5 and driven.

In this way, in the coupling arrangement according to the coupling arrangement shown in FIG. 1 and known from the prior art, the actuating device of the central adjusting device 5 is non-positively connected to the articulation block of the articulation 1. In a crash case, i. upon the occurrence of extreme impact energies transmitted via the coupling shaft 2 to the linkage 1, the shearing elements (not explicitly shown) via which the bearing block of the linkage 1 is connected to the cross member of the car body respond and lose their function as connecting elements. As a result, the linkage 1 is pushed together with the fixed thereto (total) centering device 3 by the cross member and thus removed from the power flow, which (not explicitly shown) secondary energy dissipation devices are used as overload protection and can absorb the excess impact energy. As already stated, the construction of such an overload protection requires that the cross member must be designed so that in the event of a crash the entire linkage 1 with the entire centering device 3, i. also with the arranged below the linkage 1 actuating device of the centering device 5, can be pressed through the cross member through.

With the aim of reducing the size of the cross member, and thus to reduce the overall weight of the clutch assembly, a separable Mittenstellungskupplung 6 is now provided according to the invention.

Fig. 2 shows an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of a designed for use in the central buffer coupling according to the invention, separable Mittenstellungskupplung 6, which serves on the one hand, in the "normal" driving the restoring torque of the actuator 5 to the center position guide 4 of the centering device 3 and thus on the coupling shaft. 2 the clutch assembly to reliably transmit, and on the other hand serves to lose the function as torque transmission means when a definable critical shock / tensile force is exceeded, thus allowing only the linkage 1 alone, ie without the usually below the Linkage 1 arranged and provided for the centering device 3 actuator 5, can perform a backward movement.

For this purpose, the separable Mittenstellungungskupplung 6 of FIG. 2, an upper (outer) transmission member 7 a, which is fixedly connected to the center position guide 4 of the centering device 3, and a lower (outer) transmission member 7 b, which at the usually below the linkage. 1 arranged and provided for the centering device 3 actuator 5 is firmly connected. Furthermore, the middle position clutch 6 according to FIG. 2 has a middle transmission element 8 provided between the two outer transmission elements 7a, 7b. This middle transmission member 8 is formed in this embodiment as a cross-plate with each other by 90 ° grooves 11. Accordingly, the outer transmission members 7a, 7b have a corresponding center land 10. In the assembled state, the middle webs 10 of the outer transmission members 7a, 7b are in the respective grooves 11 of the cross-plate 8 and thus allow the transmission of the restoring torque of the actuator 5 to the center position guide 4 of the centering device 3rd

The transfer members 7a, 7b, 8 of the separable Mittenstellungskupplung 6 shown in FIG. 2 are each designed as slices, which are arranged axially aligned one above the other in the assembled state. Through these discs, a bolt 9 through the axial longitudinal axis of the discs 7a, 7b, 8 pass through to ensure the secure fit of the discs 7a, 7b, 8 to each other and to the center position guide 4 and the actuator 5 of the centering device 3. This pin 9, which is not shown explicitly in FIG. 2, can be designed as a shearing element which shears off when a critical critical shock / tensile force is exceeded and loses its connection function, as a result of which the transmission members 7a, 7b, 8 perform relative movement relative to one another and thus their mutual intervention can be solved.

Furthermore, in the separable Mittenstellungungskupplung 6 shown in FIG. 2, a guide means 12 is provided in the form of a tongue and groove 12, wherein the spring 18 of this spring groove means 12 is provided on the respective webs 10 of the outer transmission members 7 a, 7 b, and wherein in the respective groove 11 of the central transmission member 8, a corresponding groove 19 of the tongue and groove joint 12 is formed. These guide means 12 serve to ensure that the transmission members 7a, 7b, 8 can only perform a relative movement towards one another in the direction of the groove 11 formed in the middle transmission member 8.

In a variant of the separable Mittenstellungskupplung 6 is conceivable that one of the two middle webs 10 is rotatable and the corresponding other center web 10 is made firm. As a result, there is the possibility that the cross-pulley serving as the middle transmission member 8 may be released from the outer transmission members 7a, 7b after responding to the critical impact / traction force, rather than controlled.

3A to F show the sequence of movement of the separating operation of the separable Mittenstellungskupplung 6 of FIG. 2. Fig. 3A shows a plan view of the separable Mittenstellungskupplung 6 in the normal operating condition. After exceeding the critical, definable tensile / impact force and after responding serving as Abscherelement bolt 9, which passes through the vertical axis of rotation of the transmission members 7a, 7b, 8, a relative movement occurs between the at the actuator 5 of the central actuator 3 fixedly connected transmission member 7b and at the middle position guide 4 of the central buffer coupling fixedly connected transmission member 7a, as a result, the central transmission member 8 emerges laterally and thus the engagement between the transmission members 7a, 7b, 8 triggers.

FIGS. 3B to 3E show various states which precede the complete resolution of the engagement of the individual transmission elements 7a, 7b, 8. In Fig. 3F, the state is shown, in which the engagement of the transmission members 7a, 7b, 8 completely dissolved and the central transmission member 8 is completely leaked, why the connection between the actuator 5 and provided in the articulation 1 of the central buffer coupling center position guide 4 solved is.

It should be noted at this point that the embodiment of the separable middle position clutch 6 shown and explained in FIGS. 2 to 3 represents only one exemplary embodiment. Of course, it is also conceivable that a disc with corresponding, offset by 90 ° to each other middle webs 10 is used as the central transmission member 8, in which case a corresponding groove 11 must then be provided in the fixed transmission members 7a, 7b.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

linkage

2

coupling shaft

3

Device for horizontal center reset

4

Center position guide

5

Actuation device of the center reset device

6

Center position coupling

7a

Outer transmission link (center position guide 4)

7b

Outer transmission member (actuator 5)

8th

Medium transfer element

9

bolt

10

center web

11/11

groove

12.

guide means

14

pivot pin

15

bearing bolt

17

transmission

18

Spring of the tongue-groove device 12

19

Groove of the spring groove device 12

Claims (11)

1. A central buffer coupling for rail-mounted vehicles having a coupling shaft (2) arranged to be vertically pivotable on a vehicle body of a rail vehicle by means of a linkage (1) and supporting a coupling head and a device for horizontal resetting to center (3) at its free end, wherein the horizontal resetting to center device (3) has a center position guide (4) following a horizontal pivoting movement of said coupling shaft (2) about a vertical pivot axis as well as actuating means (5) for positioning the center position guide (4) together with the actively-connected coupling shaft (2) at predefined positions or into any position of a given range of pivoting,
   characterized in that
   said center position guide (4) is frictionally-connected to said actuating means (5) by means of a center position coupling (6) for transferring a restoring moment of the actuating means (5) to the center position guide (4), whereby the frictional connection is disengaged upon the exceeding of a definable critical impact/tractive force exerted longitudinally on the coupling shaft (2) and transferred by same.
2. The central buffer coupling according to claim 1,
   characterized in that
   the center position coupling (6) comprises at least one outer transfer member (7a, 7b) arranged on said center position guide (4) and at least one on said actuating means (5), and at least one further middle transfer member (8) arranged therebetween, whereby the outer transfer members (7a, 7b) respectively engage with said middle transfer member (8) in such a way so as to be able to transfer a restoring moment of the actuating means (5) to the center position guide (4).
3. The central buffer coupling according to claim 2,
   characterized in that
   the center position coupling (6) is configured such that the engagement between at least one outer transfer member (7a, 7b) and the middle transfer member (8) disengages upon the definable critical impact/tractive force being exceeded and thus the frictional connection between the center position guide (4) and the actuating means (5) is disconnected.
4. The central buffer coupling according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said center position coupling (6) furthermore exhibits a pin (9) extending lengthwise the vertical pivot axis and through the respective transfer members (7a, 7b), fixedly connected at one end to said center position guide (4) and at its other end to said actuating means (5), wherein said pin (9) shears off upon the definable critical impact/tractive force being exceeded and thus enables disengaging of the engagement between the at least one outer transfer member (7a, 7b) and the middle transfer member (8) and the disconnecting of the frictional connection between the center position guide (4) and the actuating means (5).
5. The central buffer coupling according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein said outer transfer members (7a, 7b) respectively arranged on said center position guide (4) and on said actuating means (5) each exhibit at least one central crosspiece (10) and said middle transfer member (8) exhibits at least two grooves (11) in correspondence to said central crosspieces (10), wherein said grooves (11) provided in said middle transfer member (8) are configured so as to each receive a corresponding central crosspiece (10) of the outer transfer members (7a, 7b) so as to enable transfer of the restoring moment of actuating means (5) to center position guide (4).
6. The central buffer coupling according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein said middle transfer member (8) exhibits at least two central crosspieces (10) and wherein the outer transfer members (7a, 7b) arranged respectively on said center position guide (4) and said actuating means (5) each exhibit at least one groove (11) in correspondence to the at least one central crosspiece (10), wherein the at least one groove (11) provided in the respective outer transfer members (7a, 7b) is respectively configured so as to receive at least one corresponding central crosspiece (10) of the middle transfer member (8) so as to enable the transfer of the restoring moment of said actuating means (5) to said center position guide (4).
7. The central buffer coupling according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the respective central crosspieces (10) of the associated transfer members (7a, 7b) are offset 90° from one another and wherein the grooves (11) of said respective transfer members (7a, 7b) corresponding to the respective central crosspieces (10) are likewise offset 90° accordingly.
8. The central buffer coupling according to any one of claims 5, 6 or 7, wherein at least one of the respective central crosspieces (10) of the associated transfer members (7a, 7b) is pivot-mounted about a transverse axis of the respective central crosspiece (10) and at least one of the respective central crosspieces (10) is fixed.
9. The central buffer coupling according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein said center position coupling (6) further exhibits guide means (12) configured so as to guide the grooves (11) disposed in the corresponding transfer members (7a, 7b, 8) into the respectively corresponding cross-pieces (10) of the associated transfer members (7a, 7b, 8) in the respective longitudinal direction of the grooves (11) and to substantially suppress a relative movement between the respective groove (11) and the correspon-ding crosspiece (10) in directions other than the longitudinal direction of the respective groove (11).
10. The central buffer coupling according to claim 8, wherein said guide means (12) exhibits a tongue-and-groove connection provided in said groove (11) and central crosspieces (10) of said transfer members (7a, 7b, 8).
11. The central buffer coupling according to claim 8 or 9, wherein said groove (11) and associated central crosspiece (10) respectively exhibit an interlocking dovetailed profile wherein the broad side of said dovetailed profile is provided at the base area of groove (11).

Images